Canada needs to look beyond kids and social media to address online harms

Policy responses to online harms must include strengthening federal lobbying regulations, and increasing digital literacy across all population groups.

Bill C-34’s regulatory scope remains heavily centred on protecting children, particularly on social media. But online harms do not end at age 16, and they are not confined to social media platforms, writes Natalie Brender. Photograph courtesy of Ron Lach/Pexels

Opinion

BY NATALIE BRENDER

October 14, 2026

Canadians are right to worry about what happens to children online. But as Parliament considers Bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act, it should not mistake one part of the problem for the whole of it. Online harms are not simply a child-safety problem. They can affect anyone...

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